Influence of soybean phytoestrogens exposure on the Mouse Stem cells differentiation

The toxic effects and mechanism of soy isoflavones such as genistein and diadzein on the early embryonic development and differentiation are still unknown. We aimed to elucidate the developmental and differentiation alterations occurred after either single exposure or co-exposure of soy isoflavones (Genistein and Di- adzein) on the mEScs in order to un- derstand the effects and possible pathways of phytoestrogen treatments on the early embryonic development. In the present study, mouse embryonic stem cells (mEBs) differentiate when exposed to differ- ent concentrations of genistein and/or diadzein for 5 days and their proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation capacities were evaluated using RT-qPCR analysis. Our results confirmed that soy phytoestrogens had differential effects on regulation of proliferation and apoptosis and the differentiation ability of the mouse stem cells at different levels varies from increase in the differentiation markers of the three germ layers or only ectoderm markers together with up regulation of Oct4 and Rex1 transcription factors and in some cases with down regulation of Nanog in comparison with the control condition and these variations depend on the concentration and whether single or co-treatment of these soy phytoestrogens were used. All of these effects appeared to be related to down regulation effect of Esrrb. Our entire result concluded that soy isoflavones might disturb differentiation of mEBs and these phytochemicals may function via the estrogen relatedreceptor β (ESRRβ)-mediated pathway.